News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-02-17
A DRAWN GAME.


May afternoon in the private room of
his Office, in Exchange Court, in the
city of Liverpool.
In the eyes OF the commercial world
Mr.. johnson was a rich man. In the
eyes of his confidential clerk and him
self his firm was tottering On the brink
of ruin Nothing short of a miracle
could save it, and Edgar knew that the
days of miracles were past.
Suddenly Mr.. johnson arose, called a
hanson, and entering, gave instructions
to the driver
The hanson stopped in James street,
and Mr.. johnson, alighting entered the
office OF Levi, DOrrelI * Co., prosper
Gus firm of spectators.
As he entered the Office, Mr.. johnson
handed his card to the sunny-looking
clerk, and after a minutes delay was
shown into the room where sat the senior
partner, Mr.. Levi, and his colleague,
Mr.. Dorrell. The third occupant of the
room, seated at distant desk in a cor
ner, was Mr.. Skimp-presumably the
Go" After some conversation in an
easy manner, Mr.. johnson said
i understand, BIr. Levi, that you
grant advances on cargoes in transit, if
shipped in your vessels. l think" he
continues deprecatingly, Il need not
mention the position my firm holds IN
the mercantile world; but, like many
others in these times, my capital IS
locked up to a degree which prevents
my extending my business as l should
like"
"Quite so, assented Mr.. DorrelI, !
blandly.
~ have been in the habit of shipping
cotton from Alexandria by the vessels |
of Tones & @, but e rnIIs gentlemen
can see your way 10 make to me the
necessary advances on cargoes, l pro
pose transferring my business to your
firm. At present have two thousand
bales of cotton ready to ship here from
Alexandria, for which I want an advance
of twenty thousand pounds. This only,
of course, on your receipt of the usual |
bills of lading from Alexandria; and, - |
with courtly bow, ''should you desire |
to make any inquiries regarding the |
standing Of my firm, etc. l trust you
will find all things satisfactory"
That night Mr.. johnson had important
business which detained him in his pri-
vate Office until the small hours of the
morning. He was writing not in his
usual rapid continuous STYLE but labor
iously and halhngly. Had you stood
behind his chair for a second you would
have seen that he was carefully copying
a signature, which read thus abdul
Pinero.n He spared no pains with his
work. and it was long after midnight
when he leaned back in his chair and
inspected the result of his labors with
keen scrutiny and critical approval.
The imitation was perfect. 1t had been
troublesome signature to copy. Abdul
had an awkward trick of spreading the
capital P backward and entwining it
round his Christian name in a style
which was rather a tiCklish thing to
initiate but it was not too tiCklish for
Edgar Allen Johnson few things were
Baving locked this precious document,
with a duplicate and also the genuine
bill of lading from which he had copied
the signature carefully into his safe, he
tore up and burned the various spoiled
and smeared sheets of letter paper which
lay about the floor. then he turned
out the lights, locked the doors, and
went down stairs.
Two days later he received a note from
Messrs. Levi & Co. requesting him to
call request with which he lost no
time in complying. he interview was
brief, and conceded all he wished. The
firm was willing to grant him the adj
vance he equired-upOn the receipt of
the duplicate bills of lading from Alex
andria, which they now awaited
Mr.. Johnson took his leave. and re-
paired to his Office, where he told one of
his clerks, in preoccupied tone, 10 ad-
dress an envelope to Nessrs. Levi & Co
He subsequently placed in this envelope
the forged bill of lading and sealed it
up. Then he wrote long gossipy let
ter to a friend in Aleyandria-an easy
going, head in the clouds kind OF
fellow, who would suspect nothing and
in a postscript asked him, as a special
favor, to post the inclosed letter for him
in Alexandria on the day when the ship
Estrella was cleared" Having dis
patched this letter, he strolled along to
Castle-street and gave orders at a Ger
tain shop where he was not in the habit
of dealing for a small iron bound box to
be made and sent to his rooms, with as
little delay as possible
Three weeks later Mr. johnson was
again in Messrs. Levi & Co.'S office.
The bill of lading had been received,
and, all preliminaries having been salts
factorily arranged, and the necessary
documents rs to interes thaving been du-
ly signed, Mr.. Levi drew his check book
toward him and signed a check for
twenty thousand pounds.
And l trust, Mr.. Johnson ne said
ponpously, as he tore off the precious
slip, that though it is our first traDsaC-
tiOn it may not be our last"
The EstreIa was signaled in due
course and Messrs. Levi & Co dispatch
ed clerk to the docks for the ships
papers.
The Captain was on deck as the c'erk
who, by the way, was named Davis -
crossed the gangway.
Good morning, Capt. Marsh" he
said pleasantly.
Good morning." returned the Cap
tain grufiy.
g. Had a fine PASSAGE - pursued Davis.
"Middling. Rouehsh in the bay"
Rather a heavy cargo this time,
haven't you!'
No lighter tnan usual, " was the re,
ply.
But" said Davis, with an air of sur
prise, you've got two thousand bales
Of cotton on board from Pinero & Co
Haven't bale of cotton on board, -
returned the other briefly.
50 What" said the astonished clerk.
g Are you aure7
" suvel OF course In sure. ansTere1